Over 400 Northern Ashanti Mines workers petition Mahama over mine closure

More than 400 workers of Northern Ashanti Mines Limited Company (NAMLC) have petitioned President John Mahama to intervene in the closure of the mine and facilitate its reopening following its takeover by the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS).

The workers presented their petition to the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Asante Akim Central, Rev. Dr Ebenezer Ekow Aidoo, on November 6, appealing to the President to consider the impact of the closure on their livelihoods and the wider local economy.

Presenting the petition on behalf of the workers, the company's Community Relations Officer, Amponsah Alfred Oduro, said employees were left stranded after the mine was taken over on Friday, October 22, and they were given just three hours to vacate the premises.

According to him, the short notice meant several workers could not retrieve their personal belongings before leaving the site. Some employees who were away on break also had their belongings locked up in company bungalows and offices, where they remain.

The workers said the closure had left more than 430 employees without their main source of income, pushing hundreds of households and thousands of dependants into financial difficulty.

They further explained that more than 40 per cent of the company's workforce came from host communities, meaning the closure had affected not only direct employees but also local businesses, suppliers, transport operators and other service providers who depended on the mine.

While acknowledging the government's responsibility to protect the country's natural resources and enforce mining laws, the workers appealed for a compassionate and constructive approach to resolving the issues that led to the termination of the company's mining lease.

The employees said the closure came at a time when Northern Ashanti Mines was undertaking major expansion projects expected to create significant employment opportunities.

They disclosed that the company was constructing a processing plant scheduled for commissioning in the first quarter of 2027. It had also begun stockpiling mined ore in preparation for the next phase of operations.

In addition, the workers said the company had procured 17 forty-foot containers of equipment, which were currently stranded at the port awaiting customs clearance.

According to them, completing the processing plant was expected to generate more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs, providing further employment opportunities for people in the surrounding communities.

The closure has also disrupted the company's training and employment programmes for young Ghanaians.

The workers disclosed that more than 40 Ghanaian graduates were enrolled in the company's Graduate Traineeship Programme, while another 50 were undergoing onboarding.

They also said more than 50 National Service positions had been earmarked for the 2026/2027 service year, but the planned opportunities had been affected by the shutdown.

The employees said the mine represented more than a place of work, as their jobs provided for their families and offered them a means of securing their future.

They therefore appealed to President Mahama, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, the Minerals Commission, traditional authorities, organised labour and civil society organisations to explore all lawful options for reopening the mine.

They stressed that their appeal was not intended to undermine the government's responsibility to enforce mining regulations but to secure an opportunity to return to work and earn a living.

The workers called for constructive engagement among the relevant stakeholders to address the concerns surrounding the mine's closure while considering the economic consequences for employees and host communities.

Receiving the petition on behalf of President Mahama, Rev. Dr Ebenezer Ekow Aidoo assured the workers that their concerns would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for consideration.

He commended them for choosing a lawful and peaceful approach to seeking redress rather than resorting to actions that could worsen the situation.